Sloping roofs are in demand as they bear great aesthetic and distribution of wind pressure. They can accelerate the rate of water run-off, they also reduce the likelihood of a build-up of debris, mold and mildew. At the same time, they are less likely to experience staining from acid rain or UV degradation. Owners and architects who appreciate the roof’s aesthetic appeal, long service life, low maintenance requirements, lightweight and resistance to wind, this type of rof is a great option for them.
Sloping roofs can have a variety of shapes and styles depending on the needs and aesthetics, discussed below are few of the types of sloping roof available.
Gable roof
A gable roof consists of two roof sections sloping in opposite directions and placed such that the highest, horizontal edges meet to form the roof ridge. The design of this type of roof is achieved using rafters, roof trusses or purlins. The pitch of the roof and the height of the gutters can vary greatly. The gable roof is used in many regions of the world. In regions with strong winds and heavy rain, gable roofs are built with a steep pitch in order, for example, to prevent the ingress of water. By comparison, in mountain and alpine regions, gable roofs have a more shallow pitch, because this supports snow better and reduces the risk of an uncontrolled avalanche. Another reason is that due to its high insulation qualities the snow layer acts as insulation against heat loss during winter time and this insulation layer remains atop the shallow roofs longer than on steeper angled roofs.
Saw-tooth roof
A saw-tooth roof is a roof comprising a series of ridges with dual pitches either side. The steeper surfaces are glazed and face away from the equator to shield workers and machinery from direct sunlight. This kind of roof admits natural light into a deep plan building or factory.
The sawtooth roof, with its glass panels facing away from the equator, blocks the light and heat of direct sun exposure and provides uniform, natural light over a large area. It is particularly useful in design factories and manufacturing buildings.Sawtooth structures show apertures with vertical or angled glazing installed in a sloped roof plane. Sawtooths are most effective when used in series of three, and were historically used in industrial and manufacturing buildings as the primary light source.
Saltbox roof
A Saltbox Roof is an asymmetrical two-sided roof with one side sloping down to the first floor of the building and the other side sloping to the usual roof height on the second floor. These roofs are also known as Catslide Roofs where one side extends below the main eave of the roof. Very similar style to a Gable roof however, it is the asymmetrical sides that differentiate the two. The slope that reaches the first floor is typically longer and has a shallower pitch than the other side, making the house look lopsided. This unique look is what keeps designers and architects intrigued by this style of roof, even today. Due to the unusual shape, Saltbox Roofs tend to have a chimney starting from the centre of the lower floor. However, it is possible to place the chimney anywhere along the roof, depending on where your fireplace is situated.
Hyperbolic paraboloid roof
A hyperbolic paraboloid roof is a doubly-curved surface that resembles the shape of a saddle, that is, it has a convex form along one axis, and a concave form along the other. It is also a doubly-ruled surface, that is, every point on its surface lies on two straight lines across the surface. Horizontal sections taken through the surface are hyperbolic in format and vertical sections are parabolic. The use of hyperbolic paraboloids as a form of thin shell construction was pioneered in the post-war era, as a hybrid of modern architecture and structural engineering. Being both lightweight and efficient, the form was used as a means of minimising materials and increasing structural performance while also creating impressive and seemingly complex designs. Hyperbolic paraboloid shell roofs can be constructed using reinforced concrete with a shell thickness of just 50 mm for diagonal spans up to 35 m.
Mono – pitched roof
A mono-pitched roof is a single-sloped roof surface, often not attached to another roof surface. This is in contrast to a dual-pitched roof, also known as a gabled roof, which is pitched in two different directions. A mono-pitched roof can be a smaller addition to an existing roof, where keeping to the same slope (roof pitch) puts the mono-pitched roof lower than the ceiling height of the main structure. In this case, even though the main roof has a flat ceiling, the mono-pitched part has a sloping or raked ceiling line to maximize the ceiling height. The name lean-to roof comes from this form of addition. Mono-pitched roofs can be used to provide clerestory windows for a hallway or similar room where a row of windows is placed below the edge of the mono-pitched section reaching above the other roof below.
Gambrel roof
A gambrel roof is a usually symmetrical two-sided roof with two slopes on each side. The upper slope is positioned at a shallow angle, while the lower slope is steep. This design provides the advantages of a sloped roof while maximizing headroom inside the building’s upper level and shortening what would otherwise be a tall roof. This design is commonly used for barns and stables due to the shape allowing for extra storage room. This style of roof is also frequently found in churches and houses.When being used as a habitable space, Gambrel roofs will need windows to increase the amount of natural light and make the room feel bigger. Windows are easy to install into a Gambrel roof due to the shallow, lower slopes which act as walls for the windows to be mounted on. Often, roofers will choose to install dormer windows to provide greater structural integrity however windows can be installed directly into the slopes of the roof. Skylights can also be added to the steep upper slope to open up the room even further.
Mansard roof
A mansard roof is a four-sided gambrel-style hip roof characterized by two slopes on each of its sides with the lower slope, punctured by dormer windows, at a steeper angle than the upper. The steep roof with windows creates an additional floor of habitable space and reduces the overall height of the roof for a given number of habitable stories. The upper slope of the roof may not be visible from street level when viewed from close proximity to the building. The mansard style makes maximum use of the interior space of the attic and offers a simple way to add one or more storeys to an existing (or new) building without necessarily requiring any masonry. Often the decorative potential of the mansard is exploited through the use of convex or concave curvature and with elaborate dormer window surrounds.
Pyramid roof
A pyramid roof is a type of hip roof that has four sides that are all triangle shaped and all slope downward. They are built onto a square or rectangular frame. Pyramid roofs are a popular choice for a shed, gazebos, and summerhouses as they are a modern eye-catcher and definitely stand out from other roof types. Due to the special shape of the roof, the pyramid roof is very stable, especially against the wind because the surface of attack is very small. The pyramid roof also gains particular attractiveness thanks to the possibility of installing solar cells on the roof surfaces.
Butterfly roof
A butterfly roof is a form of roof characterised by an inversion of a standard roof form, with two roof surfaces sloping down from opposing edges to a valley near the middle of the roof. Because of their unique design, butterfly roofs are extremely aerodynamic and are able to resist wind damage from coastal winds and heavy storms. This means that less repairs and maintenance has to be done on butterfly roofs, cutting down on long run costs. As the slope of the butterfly roof is the reverse of traditional roofs, it is possible to have larger windows to be installed in your home. A lack of low hanging eaves also means that the view from your windows is completely unfettered.
Conclusion
Sloping roofs are efficient, aesthetically pleasing and functional. Factors such as weather, costs, wind blow range should also determine the type of roof you should get.
Image Source
installaveranda.com.au, decor aid, DigsDigs, Wiki, William. T. Braker, Fraemohs homes, flickr, pinterest, Dezeen,
